Student journalists at Santa Clara University cover college life on their campus and around the country.

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Santa Clara hosts first swine flu clinic for students

When Heather Clayton heard there would be a swine flu vaccine available to Santa Clara students, she was determined to make sure she got one.

“I wanted to be prepared,” said the senior, a chronic asthma sufferer.

So Clayton arrived at the vaccination clinic on Nov. 12 at 8 a.m., a full two hours before a single dose would be injected. She was the first in line.

Sixty Santa Clara students had lined up outside the California Mission Room to receive the vaccine when the clinic officially opened at 10 a.m. Several dozen additional students were already waiting inside after filling out medical paperwork.

Senior Mary Werling lined up early just behind Clayton, but wasn’t getting vaccinated on her own accord.

“My mom is worried and therefore I am worried,” she said.

Swine flu, or H1N1 as it is officially called, sickened nearly 22 million Americans from last April through mid-October. The Centers for Disease Control estimates 4,000 have died from the virus, including 540 children.

Santa Clara’s first case of H1N1 was confirmed in (month). There have been a total of XX confirmed cases on campus since then. California has witnessed 237 confirmed cases of the virus since the government began tracking it last spring.

Quote from Cowell

Graph on regular flu shot statistics at SCU. When is flu season? Does Cowell always contract with Maxim?

“It’s trendy to get a flu shot nowadays,” said senior Ryan Lyles. Both Clayton and Lyles received a regular flu shot earlier in the year.

Approximately 300 doses of the H1N1 vaccine were administered at the clinic last week. Did they run out? Students can set up an appointment at Cowell Health Center if they still wish to receive an immunization. The vaccine is provided free by the federal government, but students must pay a $15 administration fee.

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